RE: Driven: Range Rover Sport Supercharged
Monday 19th October 2009
If you are in the mood for a bit of a giggle, and you happen to have a brand-new Range Rover Sport Supercharged to hand, here is a surefire way to amuse yourself. Fire it up, take it to the nearest traffic light-festooned dual carriageway and wait for a superbike - any sort will do - to appear beside you.
What allows you to do this is the new 5.0-litre supercharged V8, which delivers exactly the same 503bhp as it does when it’s fitted into the Sport’s sleek cousin, the Jaguar XFR. In numeric terms, the Rangie Sport will lunge to 62mph in 5.9secs and, although the superbike will be well ahead of you by then, the rider will have had a nasty shock. After all, the old 4.2 Range Rover Sport - which had only 385bhp to call upon - took 7.2secs to reach 60mph according to Autocar’s road test.
It wouldn’t be anywhere near as appealing without that stunning new engine, however. In combination with the smooth, intuitive six-speed ZF gearbox (complete with steering wheel-mounted shifts), the big V8 makes either cruising or lunging about the countryside a real pleasure.
So, the new Range Rover Sport has grown up a little. But in supercharged form it is most definitely game for a laugh. It’s smooth, refined and hilariously quick. You’ll have to have deep pockets to find it funny, though: we averaged 14.4mpg over a weekend and 600 miles or so, and you’d have to fork out £61,995 to get hold of one. That’s XFR territory and, to be honest, we’d rather buy an XFR, and beat the superbike away from the lights, rather than just give it a nasty fright.
Driven: Range Rover Sport Supercharged
503bhp V8 powered Rangie gives Riggers the giggles
While you wait for the lights to turn green, pop the Rangie into neutral and give the new 5.0-litre supercharged V8 a blip, while attempting to stare out the chap (or indeed chappess) on the bike. It will make what follows all the more hilarious.
When the green light does appear, squeeze the accelerator pedal as hard as possible, and hold on tight. Because you are about to launch 2590kg of SUV forward at an alarmingly rapid rate.
Aside from the storming new engine, the latest Range Rover Sport has received a gentle restyle. Among the most notable changes are new front and rear light clusters, a smart new grille and new-style alloys. Inside the old, rather Tonka Toy-esque interior has also been given a makeover. Gone are the over-chunky plastics, replaced by a smoother, more sophisticated leather-and-wood look. The overall effect is to soften the edges of what has always been a rather brash, overblown design. The Range Rover Sport has finally grown up.
The handling is less spectacular. Despite the best efforts of Land Rover’s chassis engineers, there’s only so much you can do with a 2.5-ton SUV. There’s plenty of grip, but body roll, pitch and yaw are ever-present companions if you tackle a twisty road or a roundabout with any gusto.
The steering is also particularly weird. Much as in the Sport’s baby brother, the Freelander, the steering is hyper-reactive just off the straight-ahead. The result is a razor-sharp turn-in, but a curiously vague feel to the helm once the car is settled in to a corner. It also means a slightly nervy attitude in fast motorway cruising.
Discussion
XFR beating a superbike? Methinks not....unless the rider is just having a gentle ride around and riding normally.
If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
Luke. said:
Still twice the time of your boggo superbike. So not sure they're going to be that worried. Probably more surprised that someone driving a £70k car is acting like a 17 year old.
True, but I suspect anyone can get close to that time with traction control, a torque converter and four wheel drive. Wouldn't you have to be a pretty skilled rider to get close to the manufacturer's claimed time on the bike?Edited by Chris71 on Monday 19th October 11:42
Chris71 said:
Luke. said:
Still twice the time of your boggo superbike. So not sure they're going to be that worried. Probably more surprised that someone driving a £70k car is acting like a 17 year old.
True, but I suspect anyone can get close to that time with a traction control, a torque converter and four wheel drive. Wouldn't you have to be a pretty skilled rider to get close to the manufacturer's claimed time on the bike?Chris71 said:
Luke. said:
Still twice the time of your boggo superbike. So not sure they're going to be that worried. Probably more surprised that someone driving a £70k car is acting like a 17 year old.
True, but I suspect anyone can get close to that time with a traction control, a torque converter and four wheel drive. Wouldn't you have to be a pretty skilled rider to get close to the manufacturer's claimed time on the bike?Of course once you hit the corners it'd be interesting to see if lack of contact patch would lose out to sheer mass...
Chris71 said:
Luke. said:
Still twice the time of your boggo superbike. So not sure they're going to be that worried. Probably more surprised that someone driving a £70k car is acting like a 17 year old.
True, but I suspect anyone can get close to that time with a traction control, a torque converter and four wheel drive. Wouldn't you have to be a pretty skilled rider to get close to the manufacturer's claimed time on the bike?A decent naked 600 would leave the rangie standing.
Remagel2507 said:
I heard that the new Sports mode on the suspension was honed aroung the Nurburgring
Really? I heard the Tata Nano's setup was honed there too...and the new wheel bearings on my office chair. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't...but my; isn't this Nurburgring fad getting irritating?
On a different note: Performance SUVs / 4x4s / whatever this weeks' name for them is - I have to admit: I do understand why some people would want one. Many of our roads are now in such a state that you've no hope of decent ride quality in your S-Line Audi / M-Sport BMW etc. - especially when councils insist on building speed mountains everywhere. I mean: I drive a Citroen and If I'm complaining...
...so: To the do-gooders and greenies that want everyone out of SUVs: The easiest way is just to sort the
ing roads out! Garlick said:
XFR beating a superbike? Methinks not....unless the rider is just having a gentle ride around and riding normally.
If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
It would take a £100.000 plus supercar or something which has been very seriously modded to get anywhere near any 1000cc sportsbike anyone trying to say a Range Rover Cossie Scooby ETC is faster is talking complete rubbishIf he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
Edited by FOURRONE on Monday 19th October 12:01
Remagel2507 said:
The big question is though is the new Sport as good as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and the Merc ML63 AMG ?
I heard that the new Sports mode on the suspension was honed aroung the Nurburgring
But would anyone considering a Rangie even think about the uglies? Cayenne and ML63 are hidious!I heard that the new Sports mode on the suspension was honed aroung the Nurburgring
Garlick said:
XFR beating a superbike? Methinks not....unless the rider is just having a gentle ride around and riding normally.
If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
Call me boss eyed, but I think that's what the story said....If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
mybrainhurts said:
Garlick said:
XFR beating a superbike? Methinks not....unless the rider is just having a gentle ride around and riding normally.
If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
Call me boss eyed, but I think that's what the story said....If he is trying for a fast getaway (as described in the RRS) the bike would be off like a shot, if they were both to leave the lights normally the bike would still win IMO.
Riggers in article said:
That’s XFR territory and, to be honest, we’d rather buy an XFR, and beat the superbike away from the lights, rather than just give it a nasty fright
I'm referring to the XFR not the RRS. Riggers usually sits next to me, but he is on holiday today so I can't argue with him about it 
I do not see the point in this vehicle at all....am I missing something?
Also encouraging the consumers of these type of vehicles to launch 2.5 tonnes of chelsea tractor away from lights is also beyond me. When selecting a car what criteria do people generally use as I cannot see that this satisfys any of them (handling, braking, economy, vehicle tax, insurance, environment...).
Also encouraging the consumers of these type of vehicles to launch 2.5 tonnes of chelsea tractor away from lights is also beyond me. When selecting a car what criteria do people generally use as I cannot see that this satisfys any of them (handling, braking, economy, vehicle tax, insurance, environment...).
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